PM orders judicial probe into Mir attack

ISLAMABAD/KARACHI/Quetta - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has decided to constitute a three-member judicial commission to probe into the life attempt on journalist Hamid Mir.The decision to have independent inquiry into the incident was made at a special meeting of political and legal aides of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that was held here at Prime Minister's House on Sunday.It was decided that inquiry would be supervised by a three-member commission comprising judges of superior court for which a formal request would be made to the chief justice of Pakistan to nominate three members.Ten million rupees prize has also been announced for those providing information about the attackers.Meanwhile, welcoming the inquiry ordered by the government into the incident of firing on senior TV anchor Hamid Mir, an ISPR spokesperson regretted as highly misleading of raising allegations against ISI or head of ISI without any basis. The ISPR spokesperson prayed wellbeing and quick recovery of Hamid Mir.Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervez Rashid has said Sindh government is responsible for holding investigation into the attack on senior anchorperson and journalist Hamid Mir.Pervez Rashid also questioned delay in lodging FIR of attack on senior journalist and offered all out support of the Centre to Sindh government in investigation of the case.Talking to media persons after inquiring about the health of the injured anchorperson at a private hospital here on Sunday, he said Sindh government was responsible for holding investigation and taking action against the attackers. He asked from the Sindh government that why FIR of the incident had not been lodged so far. “Sindh government is responsible for holding an investigation into the attack and the provincial authorities should tell why FIR of the attack has not been registered so far,” federal information minister asked.He said some elements wanted to impose their agenda through gun and silence the voice of brave journalist Hamid Mir. He said Hamid Mir stood first among those who struggled for independence of media and restoration of democracy in the country.Meanwhile, Federal Union of Journalists along with Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists and National Press Club Islamabad, held a demonstration outside the National Press Club Islamabad against attack on senior journalist Hamid Mir. Hundreds of journalists gathered outside National Press Club and condemned the assassination bid. They demanded of the government to trace and arrest those involved in the attack."We condemn attack on journalists in Pakistan. All those involved in attacks on journalists must note, we are not afraid of them," Afzal Butt, President PFUJ, said while addressing the journalists.Speaking on the occasion, leaders of the journalist community said freedom of press could not be muzzled through such cowardly attacks. They demanded that culprits involved in the attack on Hamid Mir should be brought to justice at the earliest.Meanwhile, PML-Q Secretary General Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed also condemned the cowardly attack on Hamid Mir, terming it another attack on freedom of expression. In a statement, he expressed solidarity with Mir and his family, adding he comes from an illustrious media family, with a track record of expressing independent opinions.Khyber Union of Journalist (KhUJ) and Peshawar Press Club (PPC) on Sunday also condemned attack on renowned anchorperson and demanded of the government to arrest the attackers immediately.President KhUJ Nisar Mehmood and President PPC Nasir Khan spearheaded the protest along with political and social activists and journalists from print and electronic media organisations. The protesting journalists were holding placards and banners condemning the attack on Mir and demanding the arrest of killers as well as impartial inquiry into the incident. The participants on the occasion termed the attack a deplorable act.They said attack on Mir had proved that there was no future of journalists in the country and there was no one to provide them security. They said Mir was the voice of the nation and the day was not far away when he would be hale and hearty.Meanwhile, Culture Journalist Forum (CJF) Mardan chapter strongly condemned the life attempt on Mir in Karachi and demanded of the government to immediately arrest the accused involved in brutal attack.Balochistan Union of Journalists has termed attack on senior journalist Hamid Mir an attack on the freedom of press demanding immediate arrest of the perpetrators and setting up of an autonomous commission to investigate the matter.Members of Balochistan Union of Journalists staged a protest demonstration outside Quetta Press Club here on Sunday against the attack. A black flag was also hoisted on the premises of Quetta Press Club as a protest and the journalists wore black ribbons around their arms, including BUJ president Irfan Saeed and Quetta Press Club president Raza Rehman.The protestors were holding placards and banners inscribed with various slogans. The central secretary general of the National Party Mir Tahir Bizenjo also participated in the protest demonstration against the attack on senior journalists along with number of civil society, Islamic Writers’ Forums, Railway Labour Union and people from other walks of life.

This news was published in The Nation newspaper. Read complete newspaper of 21-Apr-2014 here.